Friday, April 06, 2012

His Majesty’s Tax Collector Slept Here

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By Beth Herman

Though Rousby Hall plantation’s palatial main house was battered and burned by the British in 1780, as members of the prominent Fitzhugh family that occupied it were American sympathizers, the property’s 438 s.f. customs house—charged with collecting taxes for the entire Patuxent region—was spared.

Built half-a-century earlier by John Rousby II (1680-1744), who was both Naval Officer of the Patuxent and His Majesty’s Customs Collector from 1717 until his death, some accounts posit that the tiny tax office’s future operational promise saved its life. Confident that the crown’s taxes would one day again be collected in this utilitarian structure, General Alexander Leslie and his 2,500 marauding soldiers moved on to pillage elsewhere. Lucky for 21st Century owners (and Americans!) Bob and Barbara Allen.

Jettisoning a former decorator’s show house they’d purchased and transformed into a bed and breakfast, with JoAnn Zwally of Ashton Design Group at the helm, the antiques loving Allen’s went shopping. Spying the Lusby, Maryland early Georgian customs house with its Flemish bond brickwork, the couple was spurred by its provenance and primed for the challenge of restoring and renovating it, along with a tired, 277 s.f. 1950s addition. What’s more, with three adult children and a gaggle of next generation offspring, the couple wished to add a large, open-concept living space to the two earlier structures—with a foyer; great room; kitchen; master suite; screened-in porch; laundry room; lower level family room and bath (the space could accommodate bedrooms at a later time). Here the entire family could assemble for summer vacations and holidays.

Dormers, drop leaf and “D” ends

“Lusby is right near St. Mary’s City, and St. Mary's City is an historic settlement that goes back to the 1600s,” said designer Zwally, who, after the bed-and-breakfast project, also created and implemented the interior design of the Allen’s Lusby residence. Enamored of St. Mary's City's Jacobean character, the Allen’s sought to emulate its emblematic dark, hand-timbered elements in their brand new addition, something that proved problematical in its execution, however. The concept was soon replaced by lighter, simple moldings on walls, around a Rumford fireplace, on the insides of dormers, and in a new master bedroom with its own fireplace.

Inspired by Annapolis architect Charles E. Anthony’s exposed truss system in the new great room, with its 12:14 roof pitch (ceiling height is 20 feet at its apogee), Zwally and lighting designer Linda Gombos swapped the idea of effective recessed lighting, which was impossible at that slope and altitude, for surreptitious track lights around and inside of the trusses. Two chandeliers and a few strategic floor lamps also helped illuminate the cavernous space, with a wall of glass French doors and “skylights” (expressed as long dormers on the exterior—or maybe they’re dormers that function as skylights on the interior!) bathing the space in warm, natural light. With a dormer on the original 1730 customs house, and one on the 1950s addition, these modern dormers carried the concept through to the new design for continuity and flow.

Employing custom millwork, Zwally was able to conceal the television, using plush swivel chairs to facilitate viewing. A drop leaf table redolent of 18th Century design, acquired from the Allen’s old bed-and-breakfast, can be used for entertaining and extended family dinners, its dual “D” ends living separately under lamps in the foyer until needed. With the homeowners’ predilection for all things red or red-toned, a black and red rug from their former bed-and-breakfast was reestablished in the great room, with furniture and fabrics manifesting the deep hue in various solids and patterns. In the 3,679 s.f. addition’s exceedingly long galley kitchen, their appetite for red was articulated in part by burgundy cabinetry and Brazilian cherry flooring.


Victrolas, views and vigilance

A screened-in porch affords the couple and their family ample opportunity to observe boating activities along the 7-acre site’s 400 feet of water frontage (for the record, Rousby Hall estate was born on 5,000 acres). Mahogany decking and a white painted bead board ceiling with recessed lighting create a clean canvas for the porch’s pristine white wicker furniture with red Boussac fabric.

In the new master bath, a modern take on an old claw foot tub is realized in a Kohler claw-and-ball-foot tub. Carrara marble tiles with black granite inlay help polish and shine up the shower, as do two wall sconces, a chandelier, rope lighting underneath the vanity—and of course a red wall panel.

In the 1950s addition, among other things Zwally and antiques aficionado Barbara Allen created a posh powder room, featuring a wash station that is a former Victrola cabinet—filled with old 78s—turned sink. Because the cabinet was so high, Zwally had to search vigilantly for a shallow sink bowl that would be functional while maintaining the furniture’s aesthetic.

Books, bricks and beams

Redesigning the tiny customs house itself, Zwally and builder Howard Freeman, who was involved in all aspects of the property’s new construction, renovation and restoration, transformed it into a comfortable library space. Mid-century knotty pine paneling from a prior renovation that had masked the period exposed brick walls beneath was removed. Two muted, slip-covered loveseats from the bed-and-breakfast were integrated into the design, with throw pillows in russet, pale blue, brown and oatmeal softly reflecting the hues of the multi-colored brick. A Kerman rug, originally in the Allen’s Ashton, Maryland dining room that was later used in their bed-and-breakfast, found its way into the customs house-cum-library.

Millwork wainscoting and cabinetry painted a clean white flank the library brick, creating extra storage and brightening the space. “You can also see the original rough wood ceiling beams,” Zwally said, relating the new addition’s exposed wood trusses to the custom house’s 1730s building style. The designer also noted the beginning of an arch, revealed in the brick wall when paneling was removed, that was a Palladian or curved window in colonial times. In what is now the library, a ladder leads to an original sleeping loft as an 18th Century customs clerk would sleep above the office.

A new garage was built with an apartment above, and bedrooms in the 1950s addition supported the homeowners’ family visits.

With their offspring now pursuing goals that keep them far away from the Lusby, Maryland residence, completed in 2003, the home is on the market with the enterprising Allen’s—and Zwally— anticipating their next design (ad)venture-a-trois.

Photos courtesy of Geoffrey Hodgdon. For story suggestions contact bh @ dcmud.com

Thursday, April 05, 2012

Work to Begin on Two Clarendon Blvd. Projects

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Two open lots in Arlington will start bustling within the next two weeks as work begins on two long-awaited mixed-use developments between the Rosslyn and Courthouse Metro stations.

After many months of predicting an "imminent" groundbreaking at the adjacent pair of now-vacant lots, Elm Street Development plans to begin utility work next week at 2001 Clarendon Blvd., Elm Street Vice President James Mobley said in an email. Next door at 1919 Clarendon Blvd. (the Hollywood Video site), crews were told to proceed, with work getting underway within two weeks, sources at USAA Real Estate said.

Arlington County records show USAA received a sheeting a shoring permit March 28 but still must revise plans to get additional construction permits for the residential and retail development at 1919 Clarendon Blvd., previously 1900 Wilson Blvd.
Rendering of 1919 Clarendon Blvd.
Meanwhile, records show that Elm Street is still working to get approval for sheeting and shoring in addition to the other required building permits for the proposed retail and residential development at 2001 Clarendon Blvd., previously 2000 Wilson Blvd.

"We have submitted for Footing to Grade Permit and addressed comments on the Sheeting and Shoring Plans," Mobley said in the email. "Other than addressing County comments the building is unchanged."
Rendering of 2001 Clarendon Blvd.

Mobley did not respond to a question asking why the project has been delayed. USAA said its project is moving forward as planned. However, both companies have said that construction was at hand at least since 2010.

With an expected delivery date in 2014, 2001 Clarendon Blvd. will be home to a 6-story mixed-use development with 154 apartments and approximately 30,000 s.f. of retail space. WDG Architecture designed the building S. E. Foster will construct. .

USAA will bring a 5-story mixed-use development with 198 residential units and 24,657 s.f. of retail space to 1919 Clarendon Blvd. USAA bought the site and plans from Zom Inc.in 2001. Torti Gallas designed the project that Harkins will build.

Arlington, VA real estate development news

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Former Metro Ice Warehouse To Be Replaced By Residential

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Devrouax + Purnell architects, Washington DC commercial real estate for sale, B&B Realty InvestmentDevrouax + Purnell architects, Washington DC commercial real estate, B&B Realty Investment
The former Metro Ice warehouse at 50 Florida Avenue, NE is set to begin a long-rumored conversion to a residential building, according to a PUD application filed recently by B&B Realty Investments. "The building we expect will have somewhere in the range of 185 to 200 units," said David Bralove, Principal at B&B. "Along with 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail. As to whether it will be condos or rentals, we don't know yet. Right now we're hoping to get on the board's July schedule - they don't have hearings in August - which would put us on track for final PUD approval in early 2013."

Devrouax + Purnell architects, Washington DC commercial real estate, B&B Realty Investment, warehouseDrawings from architect Devrouax + Purnell depict a nine-story, v-shaped building, with a twelve-foot-high granite base and limestone veneer, its facade dominated by glass panels and juliet balconies. Inside, there will be three unit types; efficiencies, one bedrooms, and two bedrooms, ranging from 450 to 945 square feet. Plans also include 72 below-grade parking spaces and a large green roof.

B&B purchased the 62,000-square-foot ice warehouse in early 2011 for a rumored price of a little less than $10 million. The lot, which is just under an acre, is presently zoned for commercial use only, but developers Devrouax + Purnell architects, Washington DC commercial real estate, B&B Realty Investment, retail for leasehave applied to have the zoning amended to C-3-B, over protests from some locals.

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Your Next Place

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By Franklin Schneider

This massive Tudor (over 5600 square feet spread over four levels!) was recently renovated with design by Cunningham and Quill Architects. That's two architects names I just dropped in like ten words. Am I the most annoying person ever or what? If we were at a party, this is the point at which you'd start silently praying for your friend to come back inside and save you. (What is she, smoking the whole pack?!?!)


But yeah, this house is massive. The open floor circuit of open kitchen-living room-sitting room-dining room is long enough that you could make a solid case for keeping an indoor golf cart around. This is the perfect house for a family, because it's big enough that you could never ever see each other, if you wanted it that way. (And why wouldn't you?) There's a ton of light and a ton of gleaming hardwood flooring, and simple but luxurious finishes all around. There's also a pool in back, for all your kids' friends to come over and urinate in. Best of all, the house is located in a quiet cul de sac, so before you know it, you'll be one of those people who rushes to the window every time an unfamiliar car drives by out front, muttering, "who is that? Is that a rental? Only drug dealers drive rentals. I'm calling the police."

4323 Hawthorne Street NW
7 Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths
$2,449,000




Washington D.C. real estate news

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

IMF Releases New Renderings for Dupont Hotel

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The IMF has released new renderings for the hotel it is fashioning on New Hampshire Avenue in Dupont Circle. The 1964 structure has been used as an IMF apartment building, but with the building in dire need of a renovation and eating up a chunk of IMF dollars, Fund planners decided to sell one of the two buildings that comprised the apartment complex and renovate the remaining building.

With visions a LEED Gold building, the IMF and architecture firm Bonstra | Haresign are in the midst of a full gut and renovation of the building, and have designed a new skin on top of the old shell complete with rain screen (a kind of waterproof membrane under the skin, with breathable cavity in between) and super efficient glass curtainwall system, adding 20 units to the 100-unit building. The building is expected to be completed in about a year. Below are renderings of the new structure. Washington D.C. real estate development news

Monday, April 02, 2012

Babes Billiards Redevelopment Plan Heading to Zoning Commission

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Within two weeks, Douglas Development intends to submit to the Zoning Commission its plans for a 60,821-square-foot, mixed-use retail and residential development on the old Babes Billiards location at 4600 Wisconsin Ave., NW. Douglas will request a zoning change, from C-2-A to C-3-A, for the planned unit development (PUD) to allow increases in height and residential space. The new building will be just under 71 feet tall and have a residential lot occupancy of 76 percent. With the lot's current zoning, residential lot occupancy caps at 60 percent and height at 50 feet.
View from Wisconsin Street. (All rendering provided by Douglas Development.)
The new category allows parking, but no parking is included in the design, and Douglas will ask for relief from the parking requirement. Residents raised concerns about parking early on, but given the design options and a Douglas parking study finding adequate parking in place, the final plan includes additional retail spaces in lieu of parking spaces. Paul Millstein, vice president and head of construction for Douglas, said he hopes to have the project on the agenda for a zoning hearing in July or September. If all goes well, he expects work will begin about eight months after the hearing. Architecture firm Shalom Baranes Associates designed the building that Millstein said will have about 60 residential units of various sizes. The final PUD outlines more than 47,000 square feet of residential space on five floors above nearly 12,000 square feet of ground-level retail space and lobby. Millstein said there was an additional 10,000 square feet of subterranean retail space, but the PUD lists only 2,200 square feet.
View from Brandywine Street.
The building will include a variety of materials and features such as a terracotta, aluminum, glass and brick on the facade, with a green roof to cap it off. Millstein said the company plans to keep the new development as a long-term holding. No retail outlets have formally committed to moving into the new space, but Millstein said interest is "strong" among many retailers including owners of Matchbox Grill. He said he wants a mix of retail including restaurants, coffee shops and sporting goods stores. "I think once we start construction we'll see leases signed quickly," he said. "I think we'll have tenants waiting for construction instead of us waiting for tenants."
Alternate view from Brandywine Street.
Before new construction begins, crews must raze two smaller structures on the property. The frame of the main structure on the corner will remain with new construction built around it. Millstein said he anticipates a minimum of LEED Silver certification for the property. Douglas Development acquired the property three years ago at auction for a reported $5 million. After considering several different options, the company settled on the current plan.
View from the intersection of Brandywine and Wisconsin streets.
"I think it's going well," Millstein said of the process that has included a sometimes contentious ANC review with community input. "It's taking time ... but I think it was important to bring everyone together and have an open dialogue that we've had." Washington D.C. real estate development news

Today in Pictures - New York Avenue

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As Douglas Development demolishes buildings in anticipation of a new headquarters for the Association of American Medical Colleges in Mt. Vernon Triangle, some of the historic buildings on site, between K Street and New York Avenue, are also being saved - and moved - thanks to requests from the D.C. Preservation League. Below are pictures of the buildings being prepped and moved.
Washington D.C. real estate development news

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Your Next Place

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By Franklin Schneider

Q: What's better than one really nice home?

A: Three really nice homes, stacked on top of each other.

It might sound like I'm being facetious but, really, I'm not. (I use this same logic when I argue that Khloe Kardashian is hotter than Kim.) This fantastic - and HUGE - Arts & Crafts jewel looks at first glance like three houses on top of each other - not in a bad way - and inside, it's got three times the room and charm. From the expansive front porch that's bigger than many studio apartments, you enter into an open first level that features an open kitchen and an airy, bright living room and dining room. There's a sunroom (for your sunnin') and two home offices that I guarantee you will never ever get anything done in, because the views are too breathtaking. You'll just end up staring out over the valley and wondering what it would be like to be, like, an eagle soaring over the river, or something. (That's what I did, at least.)




Upstairs, the master bedroom suite is top-notch, and better yet, there's a guest suite that's also quite nice, but unmistakably just a bit less nice. Just so your guests know their place. Oh, and there are two balconies.

It really cannot be overstated how majestic the river views are from this house. (And the architect knew it too – there are tons of windows.) They're an order of magnitude better than anything else I've seen in the area. You're not going to beat these views - especially in this city, where the difference between a good view and a bad one is, "are the people in the alley passed out drunk or dead?"

5517 Potomac Avenue NW
4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths
$2,100,000





Friday, March 30, 2012

Arlington's Green Tower to Break Ground in July

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After nearly three years of delays, the Tellus, Arlington's greenest apartment building, is finally set to break ground.

"Demolition is starting in May, with construction starting on July 1," said Gagik Davtian, Program Manager at Erkiletian. "We figure it'll be about 20 months until first delivery."

The 254-unit, 16-story Tellus is anticipated to be Arlington's first LEED Gold certified building. Plans call for the building to be powered, at least in part, by renewable energy sources, and the building features various water-saving and energy-efficient features - for example, reclaimed storm water and air conditioning condensation will be used to irrigate the native-plant landscaping. The building will also feature smart car and bicycle options, as well as a 26,000 square-foot garden plaza. The Tellus gained approval from the county way back in 2009, with a projected start date later that year, but the recession put things on hold - until now.

The finished building will offer just over 2800 square feet of ground-floor retail space (a restaurant, according to Erkiletian), as well as 7700 square feet of office space. "The Tellus is replacing a seven-story Sixties-era office building [the Arlington Executive Building]," said Davtian. "One of the tenants from the existing building, some government people, are going to be installed in the new building too. The way the office space is attached is actually very organic - it's sort of a bubble coming out of the building, a curvy facade on the backside."

Like the rest of the development, the design of the building has gone through a long collaborative process. According to Davtian, Lessard Group did the "schematic design," and then WDG Architecture came in and developed the working drawings. "WDG also changed a few elements," Davtian said. "They slightly redesigned the interior units, making them bigger, more open, and more contemporary. A lot of them have a sort of loft-like feel now."

Though developers plan on first delivery in 20 months, the project in its entirety is expected to take a full two years to complete.

Arlington, VA real estate development news

Thursday, March 29, 2012

DC's Largest Private Solar Array Underway in Tenleytown

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The largest privately owned solar array is now going up on top of a Tenleytown building owned by Paul Burman at 4435 Wisconsin Ave., NW. Burman hired Seven Seas Energy LLC to develop the project that will produce an estimated 50,000 kilowatt hours of solar energy each year.

Teris Pantazes, founder of Seven Seas Energy, said the project carries an up-front price tag of about $220,000. But tax credits and grants reduce it to less than $100,000, he said, with an annual energy cost savings of about $20,000. Work should be completed in April.

"What's unique about this job," Pantazes said, "is this is the largest system where an owner of a building has stepped up and said I like this so much I'm going to pay for this solar array myself."

Paul Burman, president of Burman Properties Inc., will have the largest private solar array in the city. There are, however, larger non-private solar arrays. For example, Pantazes said American University has one that was built under an agreement with a private investor who funded the project and sells energy to the school.

Pantazes said there are some unique challenges to building more than six stories at nearly the highest point in the city. In addition to getting permission from the zoning commission to build on top of the building's fifth floor along Wisconsin Avenue, high winds required a strong, steel structure.

The building, which stretches in an L shape from Albemarle Street to Wisconsin Avenue, houses a variety of tenants including Hot Yoga and Mattress Warehouse.

Burman said he wanted to switch to solar power in the interest of using alternative energy sources and as an investment in his property, his first attempt at using solar energy.

"I felt it would be a good thing to do at this time with all the problems the country has," Burman said. "I'm hoping this will be an example to other commercial building owners, and they'll come over and decide they're willing to try it, too."



Correction:
Due to a source error, this article incorrectly identifies the solar array under construction above Wisconsin Avenue as the largest privately owned solar array in the city. Carol Chatham of William C. Smith & Company confirmed that the solar array on the company’s Sheridan Station building is privately owned and three times as large as the Tenleytown project. We apologize for the error.

Washington D.C. real estate development news
 

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